Wendy Mackenzie

Mackenzie’s innovative teaching idea, “Hands on Plants,” is designed to teach students how to use plants for food, better health, and cosmetics. This hands-on approach to learning will teach students how to make recipes and products that are all plant-based. Students will learn how to make healing foods, teas, cosmetics, cleaning products and gifts featuring herbs and other healing plants. They will become familiar with nine common kitchen spices and how to incorporate them when preparing foods and how to use herbs five different ways for different reasons and results. There will also be an entrepreneurial project as part of this program, along with a service learning project to connect students to senior citizens in the community. Students will grow plants in the newly created school garden and green house and will experience the tastes and benefits of culinary and medicinal herbs.